Lever Shot! - Smashy's illustrated guide to levering

[AngryA]

Nice bump. I had read this thread a long time ago before I did any levering, and now I'm starting to do levering and had a bunch of questions that this thread answered. I use a sleeve from an olympic bar and add weights at the end. I'm not sure if that was mentioned in this thread, but it works out great.

So is that like levering with a fat bar then? I'm having a little trouble picturing that working well.

I use an old standard size adjustable dumbbell handle. I put the weight on one end and on the other side I have a piece of foam that used to go on my wristroller before I thickened the handle.

 

[ShadowNINku]

can we put this in the jamie eason three way thread?

 

[TheBrewCrew**]

I second that I don't want to miss a gem like this again

 

[mad-max98]

Great thread

 

[MASShole]

Ironmind has some great levering tools available.

 

[joe broadway]

Ironmind has some great levering tools available.

and they are ridiculously expensive

 

[Urban]

Ironmind has some great levering tools available.

10 bucks, less if you have everything laying around the house like I did. collars made with abs and a hose clamp like this

 

[SmashiusClay]

collars made with abs and a hose clamp

I had to read this three times before I could work out how your abdominal muscles were involved in making a hammer.

 

[dizzydean]

Thanks for sharing this Smashius, this is just what I need.

 

[MASShole]

and they are ridiculously expensive

I got them all as gifts one Christmas :icon_chee

They are expensive, and I've bookmarked a few sites that have homemade ideas.

J. V. Askem tribute

This guy passed away a few years back, but he goes through how to make farmer's handles, and much more on your own.

Here's another site: Homemade Equipment Ideas | IronOnline Health and Fitness Database

I also remember reading about how to make your own kettlebells using a 5 gallon bucket cement, and a few pieces of metal.

 

[SherTiger1]

Great guide, about to start doing it more regularly.

Have a question though - For reverse levers, does it matter if you hold it down by your side facing backwards, then lower towards the floor and back up? From what I can imagine it looks like the same motion with the hammer in a different position, but just wanted to see if it changes the mechanics and muscles worked?

Similarly for normal forward lever, does it matter if you have your arm hanging straight down, levering the hammer up and down.. as opposed to the forearm horizontal levering the hammer back and forth?

Was just thinking it may help stabilise the arm and prevent the possibility of hitting yourself in the face...

 

[SmashiusClay]

Great guide, about to start doing it more regularly.

Have a question though - For reverse levers, does it matter if you hold it down by your side facing backwards, then lower towards the floor and back up? From what I can imagine it looks like the same motion with the hammer in a different position, but just wanted to see if it changes the mechanics and muscles worked?

Similarly for normal forward lever, does it matter if you have your arm hanging straight down, levering the hammer up and down.. as opposed to the forearm horizontal levering the hammer back and forth?

Was just thinking it may help stabilise the arm and prevent the possibility of hitting yourself in the face...

The greatest torque is created when the hammer's handle is parallel to the floor, levering with your arm by your side means the greatest force is a the top of the lift, whereas when levering with oyur forearm parallel to the floor the greatest force is required whe nthe hammer is at the bottom of the movement.

 

[SherTiger1]

The greatest torque is created when the hammer's handle is parallel to the floor, levering with your arm by your side means the greatest force is a the top of the lift, whereas when levering with oyur forearm parallel to the floor the greatest force is required whe nthe hammer is at the bottom of the movement.

Ahh yes that makes sense, so it makes the force greatest when the wrist is at full extension/flexion as opposed to it being heaviest when you return to the neutral (straight) position?

I can see how that is better, thanks for explaining.

 

[veganjiujitsu]

figure it's time for a bump on this for the new folks.

i've been having great fun today with a sledgehammer.

impaler jokes in 3,2,1...

 

[KnightTemplar]

Some great stuff there, God of Thunder. I'd never even heard of Levering before now!

Merry Christmas, by the way. And best wishes for 2011.

 

[joho]

I liked the bas rutten tribute =)

 

[Alex Good]

And THIS is what my training has been missing.

 

[Squat More]

I was going to post something like this but since it's already been done I'll just post my awesome custom made sledgehammer for everyone to drool over.

Fully shot loadable, with lead shot I've gotten it up to about 50lbs for tire smashing, it's also got the ability to load even more plates at the top using a collar and stainless pipe... but I took the stainless pipe and made it into a WFD implement. :icon_lol:

Thor, eat your heart out.

 

[General Sherman]

^^ That's one fucking badass hammer.

 

[Squat More]

Yep, all stainless steel and beautiful as hell. The best part is that the thing was a gift from Ryan Pitts of stronger grip and custom made to my specs. I haven't used it as much of late, considered selling it a few times since I'm not doing the bending/olde time strongman shows anymore and focusing on lifting. Osgood schlatters and bad shoulders and hips since I was a kid, 25 now and finally healthy enough to lift.

Anyone wanna make me an offer? :icon_lol: